Concrete forming machine

ABSTRACT

A CONCRETE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE FOR SLIP FORMING CURB AND GUTTER ALONG A SLAB, INCLUDING A STEERABLE, DRIVEN CARRIER FRAME WITH A TROUGH FOR CONCRETE AT THE FORWARD END. A SCREW MOVES THE CONCRETE TRANSVERSELY FROM THE TROUGH INTO THE OPEN BOTTOMED WELL AT THE SIDE. A SLIP FORM EXTENDS REARWARDLY FROM THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE WELL. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS FOR THE TROUGH PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF THE PITCH AND HEIGHT OF THE SLIP FORM. THE CARRIER FRAME FOR THE MACHINE HAS STEERABLE DRIVE WHEELS AT EACH END TO ENABLE HOLDING ACCURATE WIDTH DIMENSIONS OF THE FORMED CONCRETE, PARTICULARLY AROUND CURVES. THE LATERAL POSITION OF THE SLIP FORM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL IS ADJUSTABLE.

Sept. 20, 1971 B. HEATON CONCRETE FORMING MACHINE Filed June 2. 1969 INVENTOR MeZ edbrz M mm ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 JN P .=v ZOCbmED Illllllll B. HEATON CONCRETE FORMING MACHINE Sept. 20, 1-911 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1969 623; no 20.5.2.5 A lll'Ill'Il-ll Sept. 20, 1-971 5. HEATON 3,605,581

CONCRETE FORMING MACHINE Filea June 2. 1969 fishnets-Shoot 3 Sept- 20, 1971 B. HEATON 3,605,581

CONCRETE FORMING mcmma Filed Juno 2. 1969 6 Shoots-Shoot 4 TRANS-HTRANS- 6.8.

RMISSION MISSION O '9- 39. a HEATON J 3505,58]

CONCRETE FORIIIG MACHINE F1104 m. a. 1909 s sum-sum s Sept. 20., 1971 a. HEATON 3,605,581

coucnmm FORMING ucnmm Filed June a. 1969 6 Shuts-Shut 6 United States Patent 3,605,581 CONCRETE FORMING MACHINE Blaine Heaton, 411 Keith Ave, Crystal Lake, Ill. 60014 Filed June 2, 1969, Ser. No. 829,185 Int. Cl. E01c 19/48 US. Cl. 94-46 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A concrete distributing machine for slip forming curb and gutter along a slab, including a steerable, driven carrier frame with a trough for concrete at the forward end. A screw moves the concrete transversely from the trough into the open bottomed well at the side. A slip form extends rearwardly from the trailing edge of the Well. Adjustable supports for the trough permit adjustment of the pitch and height of the slip form. The carrier frame for the machine has steerable drive wheels at each end to enable holding accurate width dimensions of the formed concrete, particularly around curves. The lateral position of the slip form at the bottom of the well is adjustable.

Machines for slip forming curb and gutter or strips of concrete to widen a road are known. However, prior machines do not have the facility for readily changing the pitch of the slip form and present a particular problem in operating around graded curves where the gutter pitch must vary from point to point. Furthermore, with many machines it is difficult to hold the lateral dimensions of the formed concrete in going around a curve.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a machine which overcomes these deficiencies of prior machines and which has other features which contribute to the accurate, efficient formation of concrete and which is flexible in design to facilitate use in forming concrete strips and particularly curb and gutter, of various shapes and sizes.

One feature of the invention is a machine for forming curb and gutter adjacent a roadway slab including motive means for moving along the slab, a slip from driven by the motive means for forming the curb and gutter, means for supplying a plastic concrete to the slip form and means for adjusting the pitch of the slip form with respect to the slab.

Another feature is that the pitch adjusting means includes a pair of independently adjustable supports for the slip form, which are in engagement with the slab. More specifically, the slip form is carried on a member which extends laterally across the slab and the supports are laterally spaced on the member to adjust its height and angle with respect to the slab.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a machine for distributing a strip of concrete of constant width along a curved path including a slip form for molding the strip, means for supplying concrete to the slip form and motive means for the slip form having plural, independently steerable guide means.

Yet another feature is that the slip form is mounted on an elongated carrier which has a pair of driven, steerable guide wheels at either end. Preferably the slip form has a trailing edge which is forward of the midpoint between the guide wheels.

And a further feature of the invention is that the machine is capable of forming a strip of selectable width adjacent an upstanding surface. The machine includes a concrete supply means having a well with an open bottom through which the concrete is deposited adjacent the upstanding surface. The slip form extends rearward- 1y from the bottom of the well and means are provided for securing the slip form to the well at a selected one of a plurality of lateral positions with respect to the upstanding surface. Furthermore, the well has an outer side wall spaced from the upstanding surface with the slip form secured at the position between the surface and the wall and with an adjustable plate between the slip form and the side wall.

Further features and advantages of the invention will readily be apparent from the following specification and from the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a machine illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear perspective of the slip form;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a portion of the power system of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of another portion of the power system;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section showing the relationship of a roadway slab to the adjacent curb and gutter;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the relationship of a roadway slab to a gutter at the top of a banked curve;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail of the level adjusting means;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the utilization of the dual steering mechanism in forming concrete around a curve;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the well taken generally along line 11-11 of FIG. 2 with a slip form for a narrow gutter; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the well similar to FIG. 11 with a slip form for a wide gutter.

Machine 20 has a frame 21 with two pairs of rubber tired wheels 22 and 23. The concrete handling and forming apparatus indicated generally as 25 is mounted on the carrier frame 21. Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing is a machine for forming curb and gutter 26 along a road slab 27 which is already in place. The machine moves along the road slab 27 and deposits and forms plastic concrete in the curb and gutter 26 extending laterally outwardly from the slab.

The cross-sectional configuration of a typical curb and gutter is illustrated in FIG. 7 and the various elements will be identified to facilitate future reference in the specification. The roadway slab 27 is supported on a base 28. The curb and gutter 26 includes a gutter flag portion 30 which is pitched downwardly and outwardly from the upstanding edge surface 27a of the slab. The curb 31 projects upwardly from the gutter and has an outer surface 32 which extends in a generally vertical plane to the base 28. The curb and gutter may have various dimensions and configurations depending on the particular situation in which it is used.

The concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 includes an elongated trough or hopper 35 into which concrete is delivered from a truck or mixer. The trough is mounted at the front end of carrier frame 21 and extends transversely across roadway slab 27. At the outer end of trough 35, extending over the surface on which the curb and gutter is formed, is a well 36- having an open bottom. Well 36 has generally vertically extending front, rear and outer side walls 37, 38 and 39, respectively, and an inner side wall 40 which extends downwardly from the bottom of trough 35. The curb and gutter slip molding form 42 extends rearwardly from the rear wall 38 of well 36. Slip form 42 includes a lateral plate 43 which corresponds with the flag portion of the gutter and a curb forming portion 44 which has a cross-sectional configuration determined by the size and shape of the curb. Slip form 42 is supported from the well 36 by bracing struts 45.

The concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 is mounted on carrier frame 21 for movement up and down with respect thereto, by two sets 49, '50 of parallel arms which are secured to vertical members 51 and 42 of carrier frame 21 and extend forwardly thereform. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the parallel arm linkage 49 has two vertically spaced arms 53, 54 mounted on frame member 51 by ball and socket joints 53a, 54a. The concrete handling and forming apparatus 35 is mounted on the forward ends of arms 53, 54 by similar ball joints as indicated at 53b. The concrete handling and forming apparatus is free to move up and down with respect to carrier frame 21 while it is maintained generally parallel with vertical frame members 51, 52.

A pair of rollers 56, 57 support the concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 on the slab 27. The rollers are mounted on arms 58, 59 which extend rearwardly and are pivoted to brackets secured to the underside of trough 35. The mounting for roller 56 (that for roller 57 is the same) is illustrated in detail in FIG. 9. Arm 58, comprising two angle plates 58a, 58b extends rearwardly to a pivot pin 62 extending through mounting plates 63 which project downwardly from the bottom of trough 35.

A pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder devices 65, 66- control the vertical position of rollers 56, 57, respectively. The piston and cylinder mountings are the same and only one will be described. The cylinder of device 65 is pivotally connected to a bracket 67 (FIG. 4) secured on the front surface of trough 35 and the piston rod 65a extends downwardly to a yoke 68 connected with roller mounting arm 58.

Hydraulic piston and cylinder devices 65, 66 are independently operable to control both the height and the pitch angle of the concrete handling apparatus 25.

The power system for the machine is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. and 6. An engine E mounted at the rear of the machine over wheels 23 has an output, indicated at O, coupled through serially connected transmissions T, T to a gear box 69. A pair of drive shafts 70, 71, extending forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, from gear box 69 drive the front and rear wheels 22, 23. A power take-off gear box 74 connected with transmission T is coupled through drive shaft 75 with a gear box 76 at the front end of the machine. An oil pump 77, part of the hydraulic control system, is driven from shaft 75 by chain 78. The output of gear box 76 is connected through chain drive 79 with a screw conveyor 80' which extends through trough 35 to move the concrete from the trough into well 36.

The hydraulic system connections are not illustrated in detail herein. For the purpose of the present disclosure it is suflicient to point out that a plurality of hydraulic controls 82 for the various controlled functions are located at the operators station 83, at the forward end of carrier frame 21, above well 36 and slip form 42. In this location the operator can observe the condition of concrete in trough 35 and well 36, the location of the inner side wall 40 of the well and the slip form 42 with respect to the slab 27 and the condition of the formed curb and gutter 26. A steering wheel 84, at the operators station, provides for control of the steering of the forward set of wheels 22. Steering of the rear set of wheels may be controlled independently through a hydraulic piston and cylinder device 85 connected through link 86 with the wheels 23.

The hydraulic system provides the actuating power for piston and cylinder devices 65 and 66, controlling the height and pitch of the concrete handling and forming apparatus. Furthermore, the concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 may be lifted free from the road slab 27 to permit the machine to move from one job location to another. A pair of piston and cylinder devices 88,

located immediately behind the trough 35 and below deck plate 89 actuate cables 90 to raise and lower the trough 35, well 36 and slip form assembly 42.

In typical operation, the machine moves along slab 2'7 and, as it moves, concrete is delivered by mixing trucks which back up to the front of trough 35 and discharge concrete into it while in motion. Roller 92, projecting forwardly from the front of trough 3'5 maintains appropriate spacing between the trough and the Wheel of a delivery truck (not shown). The height of the concrete handling apparatus is adjusted so that the inner edge 43a: of slip form plate 43 rides on the surface of slab 27. The pitch of the apparatus is adjusted so that the angle of slip form plate 43 with respect to the horizontal provides the desired pitch in the flag portion of the gutter. The concrete is moved through trough 35 into well 36 by auger 80. If desired, vibrators may be placed in the well to facilitate the further movement of the concrete downwardly in the well and under slip form 42. The operator steers the machine so that the inner wall 40 of well 36 maintains contact with the upstanding edge 27a of the slab.

The weight of theconcrete handling apparatus 25 and of the concrete in hopper .35 keeps the apparatus on slab 27 and holds the slip form down with sufficient pressure to provide a smooth finish on the concrete which is extruded from the rear of the slip form. Weights 93 on frame 21 hold the carrier down.

The dual adjusting devices 65, 66 facilitate positioning the slip form with respect to slab 27 to maintain the desired configuration of the curb and gutter. Furthermore, there are situations during operation where the position of the concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 must be altered. Consider, for example, the situation illustrated in FIG. 8 where curb and gutter 95 is formed outside a graded curve. Here the slab section 96 is pitched downwardly from the outside to the inside, as contrasted with the usual situation where the slab is either level or pitched downwardly away from the center of the roadway. If the gutter at the outside of the curve were pitched downwardly as is usual, a pocket would be formed in which Water could collect. Accordingly, highway specifications require that the flag portion of the gutter on the outside of a banked curve extend out-wardly in the same plane as the surface of the roadway. With the machine illustrated herein, this may readily be accomplished by adjusting the pitch of the concrete handling and forming apparatus 25 as the machine enters the curve. Then as the machine leaves the curve, the pitch may be changed again to return to the gutter drain configuration of FIG. 7.

As pointed out above, it is difiicult to maintain proper lateral dimensions when forming a curb and gutter or widening the strip in going around a curve, particularly a curve of short radius. In a vehicle having only the front wheels capable of steering, the rear wheels tend to cut across a curve rather than following the arc. The effect, in forming curb and gutter on the inside of a curve is to widen the concrete which is deposited while the effect on the outside of a curve is to narrow the concrete. This problem is alleviated with the machine illustrated herein by virtue of the capability to steer both sets of driven wheels at the front and rear of the machine. In FIG. 10 the machine shown diagrammatically at 100 is traveling in the counterclockwise direction around the inside of a curve. The front wheels 101 are turned inwardly to hold the forward end of slip form 102 against the edge of roadway slab 103. The rear wheels '104 of the machine are also turned inwardly so that the trailing edge of slip form 102 maintains the correct dimensions and spacing with respect to the edge of the concrete slab.

The machine identified at 106 illustrates the situation when moving around the outside of a curve. Here, the forward wheels 107 are turned inwardly while the rear wheels 108 are turned slightly outwardly to maintain the proper relation of slip form 109 to the outer edge of roadway slab 103.

FIGS. 3, 11 and 12 illustrate the relationship between the rear wall 38 of well 36, and the slip form 42 together with the changes which are made for differing dimensions and configuration of the form. The leading edge of slip form 42, here a vertical plate 112, is secured to the lower edge of the rear Wall 38 of well 36. A flange (not shown) at the top of plate 112 is bolted to the appropriate point of angle bar 113 secured to the rear face of wall 38. The multiple holes 113a in angle bar 113 permit plate 112 and slip form 42 to be positioned at a desired distance from slab 27 to establish the lateral curb and gutter dimension. The curb forming channel 44 and the lateral plate 43 may be separate elements bolted together to form the appropriate over-all configuration. Furthermore, plate 43 may be made up of several sections so that the desired flag width may be achieved. Mounting bar 113 has an angle with respect to the horizontal reference in the concrete handling and forming assembly 25, which corresponds with the pitch of the flag portion of the gutter. Thus, regardless of the lateral location of the curb forming portion 44 of the form, it has the correct height with respect to the inner edge 43a of the form, which rides on the edge of roadway slab 27.

Inside well 36 an adjustable plate 115 extends between the outer wall 44a of the curb form (which corresponds with the outer surface 32 of the curb, FIG. and the inner surface of outer side wall 39 of the well. This plate extends around screw shaft 80 (the outer end of which is journaled in a bearing carried on wall 39, not shown) and is provided with a resilient rubber sealing member 116 which bears against the shaft and seals with it.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 with screw shaft 80 omitted for clarity. Here, the curb and gutter being formed has a much wider flag than with the form illustrated in FIG. 11. The outer wall 44a of the curb form is moved to its extreme position adjacent outer wall 39 and plate 115 is adjusted in position accordingly.

I claim:

1. A concrete distributing machine for forming a curb and gutter adjacent a roadway slab, comprising:

motive means for moving along said slab, a slip form for forming said curb and gutter,

a hopper extending transversely across said slab for supplying plastic concrete to said slip form, said slip form being rigidly secured to and extending outwardly from one end of said hopper, said motive means driving said hopper along and over said slab and said slip form in a path adjacent said slab,

means supporting said hopper on said slab at two points spaced transversely across the slab, at least one of said support means being adjustable to raise and lower one end of said hopper and thereby adjust the transverse pitch of said slip form with respect to said slab.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which said last-named means includes a pair of independently adjustable supports mounted on said hopper and in engagement with said slab to provide for adjustment of both the height and the transverse pitch of said slip form with respect to said slab.

3. A concrete distributing machine for forming a curb and gutter adjacent a roadway slab, comprising: motive means for moving along said slab, a slip form for forming said curb and gutter, the slip form being carried on a member extending laterally across said slab and being driven by said motive means in a path adjacent said slab, and a pair of independently adjustable supports laterally spaced on said member in engagement with said slab to adjust its height and angle with respect to said slab.

4. The machine of claim 3 in which said supports include rollers in engagement with said slab.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which said rollers are mounted on arms hinged to the undersurface of said member.

6. The machine of claim 3 wherein said laterally extending member is a hopper for supplying concrete, said slip form extends outwardly from one end of said hopper, one support being on said hopper at the end adjacent said slip form and the other support being laterally spaced therefrom.

7. The machine of claim 5 in which said adjustable supports include hydraulic piston and cylinder devices extending between the roller and said member, at a point above the roller, to move the rollers up and down about said hinges.

8. In a machine for slip forming a concrete strip of selectable width adjacent an upstanding surface:

means for supplying concrete, including a well with an open bottom, the well having generally planar front and rear walls with lower edges;

means for moving said well adjacent said upstanding surface;

a slip form secured to the lower edge of the planar wall of said well and extending from the bottom of the well adjacent said surface in a rearward direction with respect to the movement of said well; and

means for securing said slip form to said Well at a selected one of a plurality of lateral positions with respect to said upstanding surface.

9. In a machine for slip forming a concrete strip of selectable width adjacent and elongated upstanding surface:

means for supplying concrete, including a well with an open bottom and an outer side wall spaced from said upstanding surface;

means for moving said well longitudinally adjacent said upstanding surface;

a slip form extending from the bottom of said well in a reanward direction with respect to movement of said well and having an outer wall secured at a position between said upstanding surface and the outer side wall of said well;

means for securing said slip form to said well at a selected one of a plurality of lateral positions with respect to said upstanding surface; and

an adjustable plate between the outer wall of said slip form and the outer side wall of said well.

10. The machine of claim 9 in which said means for supplying concrete includes a screw conveyor with a shaft extending transversely across said well and having a support bearing on said outer side wall of the well, with a flexible seal inside the adjustable plate and around said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,623,446 12/1952 Clark 9446 2,660,937 12/1953 Breeden 94--46 2, 8 1 8,790 1/ 1958 Canfield 94-46 2,864,290 12/ 1958 Freeman 94-46 3,109,351 11/1963 Dunn 94-46 3,130,654 4/1964 Apel 94--46 3,216,337 11/1965 MacDonald 94-46X 3,330,188 7/1967 Layton 94--46 3,363,524 1/1968 Catenacci 94--46 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner 

